Compositions comprising styrene homopolymer and styrene-ethylene copolymer and method therefor



United States Patent: @fice 3,117,945 Patented Jan. 14, 1964 3,117 945 COMPOSITIONS COMPRllNG STYRENE HOMO- POLYMER AND STYRENE-E'I'HYLENE COPOLY- MER AND METHOD THEREFOR William F. Gorham, Berkeley Heights, and Alford C. Fsrnham, Mendham, NJ winners to Union Carbide Co tioo, a corporation of New York Drawing. Filed Jan. 4, 1960 Ser. No. 36 9 Clslrns. c1. zoo-45.5

This invention relates to thermoplastic compositions comprising a copolymer and a homopolymer of styrene. More particularly, the invention relates to thermoplastic compositions which are more easily processable than styrene compositions heretofore known and which provide articles characterized by reduced brittleness and outstanding toughness.

Styrene homopolymer is generally produced by thermal or by free-radical polymerization of styrene monomer in the presence of free radical initiators or catalysts such as azo and peroxide compounds. The homopolymer has a number of highly desirable properties, such as high clarity. excellent moisture resistance and good rigidity which have given it a place of preeminence as an injection moldlng material and stimulated its widespread use for consumer and industrial products.

Not all the properties of styrene homopolymer are desirable, however. For example, styrene homopolymer is rigid to the point of being brittle and hence, exhibits little resistance to sharp blows and impact. Another disadvantage of styrene homopolymer is the limited number of ways in which it is feasible to mold or shape the polymer. For, while the homopolymer lends itself readily to injection molding. a lack of hot strength and a tendency to stick to calendcring rolls precludes processing on such rolls or in extruders and. hence. narrows the range of shapes and structures available and restricts the use of the homopolymer with all its advantages to comparatively few fields and types of products.

A polymeric material otlering most of the advantages of styrene homopoiymenbut which is considerable less brittle. can be produced by copolymerizing styrene with ethylene. The eopoiymerization can be carried out by heating the monomers together. under slight positive pressure. in the presence of a catalyst. the styrene-ethylene eopolymer thus produced, however, has a very high molecular weight as indicated by a 10 l melt flow at 250 C. of less than 2.0 dceigrams per minute. As afresult, the copolymcr can not be calendercd into useful sheets. A calcndcrcd sheet at styrene-ethylene eopoiymer is roughsurfaced. internally irregular. and nonuniform and generally unattractive and unsalable.

The broadening of the area of application of styrene homopolymcr and copolymer has been retarded by their lack of adaptability to a variety of processing techniques and/or undue brittleness.

it is an obleet, therefore, of the present invention to provide a thermoplastic composition which is free of the limitations heretofore associated with styrene homopolymer and/or eopolymer.

This and other obleets ot the present inventlon are achieved in general by thermoplastic-compositions comprising styrene homopolymer in intlmsteadmlxturo with styreneethylene gross eopolymera These thermoplastic compositions comprise 10 to 60 weight percent styrene homopolymer and 90 to 40 weight percent styrene-ethylone gross eopolymer, and are readily processed by either calenderlng or extrusion methods. This feature is highly unexpected in view of the poor calenderlng and extrusion properties of the homopolymer and copolymer componcnts individually.

The blends herein described, particularly those comprising 20 to 60 weight percent styrene homopolymer are excellent calendcring materials which not only possess the requisite degree of hot strength on the rolls but which also are easily stripped from the rolls. These blended materials can be rolled into strong, tough. light, rigid sheet which is useful as formed or can be further shaped by vacuum forming or embossing techniques.

Also, the blends of this invention have a balance of properties which make them useful compositions for wire coating and similar extrusion applications. in particular. those blends comprising 10 to 40 weight percent styrene homopolymer exhibit remarkable abrasion resistance. This is highly surprising in view of the copoiymer having only average abrasion resistance and thc homopolymer being too brittle to test. The superiority in abrasion resistance of the blends over a conventional extrusion material, polyethylene. is shown in Table l below. A further advantage over polyethylene is shown in the resistonce of the blends to thermal embrittlemcnt.

TABLE I Ai'msiolt Resistance and Thermal E/ulvritlicmcn! Clmructrrr'str'cr of InlysryrcIte/S/yrcne-El/tyicnc Copoiymcr Die/rd: and 0.95 Density Polyethylene in the present specification and claims the term "gross copolymer" refers to a styrene and ethylene copolymerizrh tion reaction product containing at least 20 weight percent copolymcrized styrene and fraetionable into several eo polymer fractions, one of which is insoluble in toluene, heptane, chloroform and cyclohcxnne and comprises 50 to weight percent of the gross copolymer. The term "copolymer fraction" is used to denote a portion of the gross eopolymcr, chnractcriznble by solubility behavior, reduced viscosity and copolymerized styrene content at a given copolymerized styrene content for the gross copolymer.

The blends of styrene homopolymer and eopolymer of the present invention can be prepared by any of the pro cedures ordinarily used to mix or compound polystyrene resin compositions. The styrene homopolymer and copolymcr can be mixed or blended together in a dltl'ercntinlspeed multl-roil mill. Marshall mill and like shear-produeing apparatus. it is crlticalto carry out at least a portion of the mixing or shearing at a temperature high enough to flux the polymers, i.e., above about C. without degradation, i.e. below about 300 C. Usually temperatures about C. to 180' C. provide an adequately uniform, intimately admixed composition. Elevated temperature processing is conveniently carried out in a lianbury mixer or heated mill. it is practicable to combine the mixing and intimate blending and shearing operation with the forming operation in an apparatus such as a compounding extruder. The homopolymer and co polymer components can be blended by pumping one into the other while both are lluxed.

At the time o! blending or at any other time, conventional additives, modifiers, colorants, lubrlants, opaeifiers, tillers and'the like can be added to the composition of this invention. v

The styrene homopolymcrs useful in the blends of the present invention are any ot the commercially available atactic or isotactic polystyrencs having a molecular weight ranging from 40,000 to 150,000. Styrene homopoiymer below about 40,000 in molecular weight is too brittle to be useful in blends with styrene-ethylene eopolymer. Styrene homopolymers above about 150,000 are so viscous that fabrication of blends containing such homopolymer is extremely ditlicult. For maximum convenience in fabrication and the most desirable balance of physical properties in the blend, use of a styrene homopolymcr having a molecular weight range from 50,000 to 70,000 is preferred.

The styrene-ethylene copolymers, which can be intimately admixed with the above styrene homopolymers to provide the advantageous compositions of the present invention, are narrowly critical. Only styrene-ethylene copolymers having properties as hereinafter set forth are useful in the blends of this invention.

The gross copolymcrs useful in the invention can be characterized by solubility characteristics in hcptane, cyclohexane, chloroform and/or toluene. The gross copolymcrs useful in this invention are fractionably solubllizable into four fractions of varying copolymerined styrene content and varying solubility and reduced viscosity characteristics by successive extractions with the abovelisted solvents and in that order.

The percent content of eopolymerized styrene in these gross copolymers should be at least 20% by weight. From the standpoint of strength and general balance of properties imparted to the final blended composition, gross copolymers containing above about 20% to about 60% by weight copolymcrized styrene and 80% to 40% by weight copolymcrined ethylene are best suited for use in the compositions of this invention.

Particularly useful styrene-ethylene gross copolymers in our compositions are those made by copolymcrizing styrene and ethylene with crystalline titanium trichioride (purple form) and a trialltyl aluminum compound having up to four carbon atoms in each alkyl group, as for example trlisobutyl aluminum, suspended in an inert hydrocarbon solvent.

These styrene-ethylene gross copolymers are preferably prepared as follows:

To a solution of styrene monomer in an inert organic solvent is added a catalyst mixture consisting essentially of crystalline titanium trichioride (purple form) and a triaikyi aluminum compound wherein each of the alkyl groups contains up to four carbon atoms. The particle sine of the crystalline titanium trichioride can be reduced to increase the catalytic activity, if desired.

The catalyst components are mixed in an approximately cqulmolar ratio, i.e., l:2 to 2:1 of one to the other in an inert organic solvent. An equimolar ratio of crystalline TiCi, and trlisobutyl aluminum suspended in heptane is preferred. The total amount of catalyst employed in the reaction can be varied from about 5 to about 40 mllli moles of catalyst per liter of styrene/solvent solution. Catalyst concentration of about 20 mllllmoles per liter of a 2096 by weight solution of styrene in cyclohcxane is preferred.

Prior to addition of ethylene, the above-described styrene/solvcat/catalyst reaction mixture is agitated rapidly, as by an impeller, and heated to a temperature of about 65-75 C. Ethylene is then sparged into the heated, agitated reaction mixture at a pressure of from about 2 to pounds/sq. in. gauge. depending on the amount of copelymerised ethylene desired in the tlasl product. with higbea,pr essures ,.providiag gross. eepolymcrs having a highe eopolymerlned ethylene content. Ethylene addition is'eentinuediuntil the build-up of polymer, evidenced by'a great increase in reaction mixture viscosity, makes agitationditlicult. ,Undertthe reaction procedures set The'resctioa is stoppedbyaddition of an alcohol such.

'forthabove, a period of seven to fourteen hours is gener-v as n-butanol in an amount approximately equal to the volume of the reaction mixture. Styrene and cyelohexanc are removed from the reaction product by any suitable means, such as azeotropic distillation with n-butanol as a carrier. The resulting slurry of styrene-ethylcne gross eopolymer in n-butanol is filtered by centrifugation, washed with iso-propanol or the like and dried, suitably at atmospheric or reduced pressures and temperatures of about C. for a period of about twelve hours.

Styrene-ethylene gross copolymers produced by the above dcscribed reaction are usually extremely high molecular weight materials. To be suited to use in calendering, molding and extrusion apparatus, it is essential that the composition of this invention contain as the eopolymer component, a styrene-ethylene eopolymer having a "10 P" melt flow of l to l0 decigrams per minute at 190' C. Lower melt flow copolymers are too still to be successfully incorporated in the blends. Melt flows higher than about 10 are characteristics of copolymers having insuiiicient toughness to be useful in the blends.

Copoiymers of styrene and ethylene produced by the reaction hercinabove described which are so high in molecular weight as to not meet the above requirements for melt flow can be processed to meet these conditions by pyrolysis, such as in a hot tube or extrudcr at temperatures between 300 C. and 400 C. in order to partially decompose the eopolymer in a controllable manner. in essence, this processing comprises a controlled reduction of molecular weight through thermal means and makes possible cztrusion, molding and calendering of extremely high molecular weight products of certain polymerization reactions.

In order to illustrate the practice of our invention, the following examples are presented. All parts and percentages are by weight, unless stated otherwise.

EXAMPLE I A. Preparation 0/ the styrene-ethylene copolymcr.- The apparatus was a 35 gallon stainless steel vessel equipped with a agitating propeller and a sparging tube. Into the apparatus was placed a solution of 36 pounds of styrene monomer in 144 pounds of cyclohexanc. A catalyst consisting of grams of crystalline titanium trichloride and 200 grams of triisobutyl aluminum was added. Agitation at a speed of -200 r.p.m. and heating was then begun. When a temperature of 65-75 C. was reached, ethylene was spargcd into the vessel beneath the surface of the styrene solution under a pressure of 2-4 pounds/sq. in. gauge. Ethylene addition was continued in this manner for nine hours with the tempcrature maintained at 70 C. Total ethylene charged during this period was 13.25 pounds.

To stop the reaction 150 pounds of n-butanol was added to the reaction mixture. The unreacled styrene, cyclohexane and n-butanol were distilled off as an azcotrope at atmospheric pressure. The slurry of styreneethylene eopolymer in n-butanol remaining after the distillation, was centrifuged and the obtained eopolymer precipitate was washed with lsopropanol. The washed copoiymer was spread on trays and dried in a vacuum oven (30 mm. Hg) at 70' C. for twelve hours. The yield was 2L9 pounds of gross styrene-ethylene eopolymer which had a styrene content of 50% by infrared analysis.

B. Properties of the eopolymer.-Samples of the opa ,-whlte s'tyreneethylene eopolymer were injection moi ed using a cylinder temperature of 500 F., a mold tern rature of 150} P. and a pressure of 1000 pounds! sq. gauge; Mechanical properties were tested. The data'sppear in Table II below. 9"

Other samples of the styrene-ethylene eopolymer were heated to 375' C. in a hot tube to a i0 P melt flow at l90'- C..of 3.1 dcclgrams per minute. These processed "10 melt tiew is (standard test for lndlcluilfd m samples were injection molded using a cylinder temperature of 450' F., a mold temperature of 150 F., and 1000 pound/sq. in. gauge pressure. Mechanical properties "vere tested. The data also appear in Table II below.

TABLE II Trot AS'IM No. Copoir Iroccwd mer Copolnuor Tensile Ftrencth, p.s.t. lHM-M'I" 3.720 3. am 'Imstlv Modt1hts.p.s.l tZ, remit... lttttm 127.000 Eton tion at llrralt pcmt..- D-mm M 70 Isod in tact Btrenetlt at 77 F.

(IL-lb inch otnotr DJMI. 3. 07 I0. 2 lint ll torttou 'tcnmensture,

TABLE III Test: Blend Tensile strength. p.s.i 4.730 Tensile modulus. p.s.i. 253.000 Elongation at break. percent 24 Izod impact at 77' F. 3.15 Heat distortion temperature, C. 76.6

EXAMPLE II The procedure and proportions of Example I were used except that the ethylene was sparged into the reaction vessel at a 7 to 9 pounds/sq. in. gauge pressure rather than 2 to 4 and for 12 hours rather than 9. as in Example I. As a result. the weight of ethylene charged was 18 pounds rather than i325.

The yield of styrene-ethylene copolymer from this reaction was 29.6 pounds. Analysis by infrared techniques showed the copolymer to have a eopolymerized styrene content of 40% by weight. Samples of the copolymer were injection molded without further processing. and also after heat treating the copolymer in a hot tube at 365 C. to rcdum the molecular weight so that P melt flow at 190' C. was 3.1 decigrams per minute.

The samples of unprocessed material were molded using a cylinder temperature of 500' F.. a mold temperature oi 150' P. and 1.200 pounds/sq. in. gauge pressure. The heat treated or processed material was molded using a lower cylinder temperature, 450' R, and lower pressures 1,000 pounds/sq. in. gauge. Sixty parts by weight f the processed copolymcr was blended with 40 parts by weight of polystyrene (M.W. 70.000) and the sample infection molded at 430' F. and L000 p.s.i. gauge. Me-

chanical properties of the samples were tested with the )toiiowing results:

TABLE IV Uaprooealcd Processed mend 'lenstlc nus Ith.p.s.i moo am aoto Tensile M ulna p.s.l.. .000 "4,000 am, out mar o t. a: a ammrm rsarsaataa d a a EXAMPLE III Ill 6 pounds. Copolymerized styrene content of this copolymer was 30%.

A portion of the gross copoiymer was reduced in molecular weight by heating to 363 C. (in a hot tube) to a 10 I melt flow, at i C. of 3.5 decigrams per minute.

Two blends were prepared with polystyrene (M.W. 70,000) in the manner of Example I. The first blend had a 60:40 gross copolymer to homopolymer ratio; the second had a 50:50 ratio of the components. Samples of each of these blends and the unprocessed and processed copolymer were injection molded and tested for mechanical properties. The results are summarized in Table IV below. Molding conditions for each of the samples are given below the table.

TABLE V (ll (3) (4) Un me lmo 60:40 mm Nomi ea ed llleml ltiond 'lrusllu Strvnuth, p .i 2, Mil .1, Mil 4, $30 a Itttl 'lvnsttv Modulus, psi :J txxt 01,0111 717mm 2tlti tltltl ltil 251 41 2'] it. a 2d 4 a. ll a 7 tunab n $0.0 $2.8

EXAMPLE IV Additional blends of styrene homopolymer and styreneethyienc copolymer were prepared using varying amounts of copoiymcr and of varying copoiynterized styrene content. The blends were calcndcred using /2 zinc stearatc and 5% stcaric acid as lubricants. Excellent quality sheet in thicknesses from 4 to 30 mils was obtained. This sheeting was readily embossed with either shallow or deep patterns. Vacuum forming with either male or female forms into a number of shapes. c.g., milk bottle tops, ice cube trays, flower pots. etc. was easily accomplished. Some of the sheetcd stock was block printed with gravure and flcxographic ink without need for pretreatment. The blend compositions and their properties are given below.

TABLE VI Styrene Ethylene Copoiymcr Cnirndererl Sheet Properties lrrornt ltrccnl Elongw "irnsiio Iurcmi. Sty-remloty- Trnsllo 'Drnsllo tion at Impact Cup lymer in (ostyrcno fitrcngtlt Modulus llrnalt Strength in ttlcnd l polymer in (p.s.t.) t at.) (percent) a. th.

ilk-ml I in.)'

H 30 4.0"!) (ll til '20 (il a, ltXl Ill- Otll 1* H 1.1 40 .tlll Hi M 31! w 4.!!!) 30 25 C-omiymcra hot-proton! to 10 t molt ilow 0 uxi' C. at was duciun ms ltttttltlttit'.

' Molecular weight (0,010.

To demonstrate the fractionabic nature of the gross styrene-ethylene copolymers useful in the compositions of the present invention each of the gross copolymers of Examples I-liI was fractionated by a successive extraction technique into our copolymers A, B. C and D. The extraction was carried out by placing a 5.00 gram sample of each gross copoiymer in a thimble filter suspended below a reilux condenser attached to a 250 ml. llaslt containing ml. of the desired solvent. The vapors of the boiling solvent passed around the thimble filter, were condensed in the condenser and dripped back into the ilask through the sample. Thus, the extracted copolymer collects in thoiiask. as fresh solvent vaporizes to continue the extraction. Extraction was carried out with each solvent for a period of 24 hours, after which the extracted polymer was precipitated by addition of methanol to the solularoent Ft ynula ill Cupolynwr lrrwnt Boluhlu copolymer lvrwut insoluble Cupulyuu-r l-Ismupla (A) (m (C) at to 7 Redured Visctkstt y (Toluene) lervrnt t t 3mm lleptane [inane bullshit... insoluble" Preferred gross copolymers in terms of copolymerizcd ethylene content and the fractions present therein are those containing from 25 to 40% by weight copolymerized styrene and which have from 7 to ll6 by weight of "A" fraction copolymer (soluble in heptane. eyclohexanc. chloroform and toluene); from 745% by weight of B fraction copolymer (soluble in cyclohexane. chloroform and toluene and insoluble in heptane); from l2 to 20% by weight of "C" fraction copolymer (soluble in chloroform and toluene and insoluble in heptanc and cyclohexane); and from 50 7$96 by weight of "1) fraction cw polymer, soluble in ethylbenzene and chlorobenzcne and insoluble in heptane. cyclohexane. chloroform and toluene. The use of the gross copolymer rather than one or more fractions thereof only is critical in achieving the advantageous properties of the blends of the invention. Use of toluene soluble fractions only blended with polystyrene results in brittle. unworkable compositions. On the other hand. use of the toluene insoluble fraction only is not feasible since that fraction is not compatible with polystyrene.

The blended compositions of this invention are useful for r. wide variety of articles ranging from toys, small contnincrs and tubing. to decorative sheeting. Ease of fabrieations by a number of standard methods into articles having a desirable balance of properties is an outstanding characteristic of our invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A readily proeessable thermoplastic composition comprising per 100 parts by weight from 10 to 60 parts by weight of styrene homopolymer with a molecular weight of from 40,000 to l50,000 blended with from 90 to 40 parts by weight of s fractionablo styrene-ethylene copolymer having a 10 P melt how at 190' C. of from i to lo declgrsms per minute and containing at least copolymeriud styrene, one fraction of said copolymer being insoluble in toluene and comprising from 50 to 75% by weight of said copolymer.

2. A readily prooessable thermoplastic composition comprising per 100 parts by weight from 20 to 60 parts by weight of styrene homopolymer with s molecular weight of from 40,000 to 150,000 blended with from 80 to 40 parts by weight of s frsctlonable styreneethyleno copolymer having s 10 P melt flow at 190' C. of from t to to deeigrsms per minute and containing from 20 to 60% copolymerlzed styrene, one fraction of said copolymcr being insoluble in toluene and comprising from to 75% by weight of said copolymer; :1 second fraction insoluble in heptane and cyclohcxane and soluble in chloreform and toluene; a third fraction insoluble in heptanc and soluble in cyclohcxane, chloroform and toluene; and a fourth fraction soluble in heptane, cyclohcxane, chloroform and toluene.

3. A readily proccssable thermoplastic composition comprising per 100 parts by weight from 10 to 40 parts by weight of styrene homopolymer with a molecular weight of from 40,000 to l50,000 blended with from 90 to parts by weight of n fractionablc styrene-ethylene copolymer havinga 10 P melt flow at l90' C. of from 1 to lo decigrams per minute and containing from 20 to 60% copolymcrized styrene. one fraction of said copolymer being insoluble in toluene and comprising from 50 to by weight of said copolymer: a second fraction insoluble in heptane and cyclohcxnne and soluble in chloroform and toluene; a third fraction insoluble in heptane and soluble in cyclohexnne. chloroform and toluene; and n fourth fraction soluble in hoptane. cyclohexane. chloroform and toluene.

4. The composition claimed in claim 3 wherein the copolymerized styrene content of the copolymer is from 30 to 50% by weight.

5. Method for producing readily processabic thermoplastic compositions which includes the step of blending a fractionabic styrene-ethylene copolymer having a 10 I melt flow at I C. of from i to 10 and containing from 20 to 60% by weight copolymerized styrene with styrene homopolymer having a molecular weight of from 40,000 to l50,000 in a ratio per l00 parts by weight of the blend of from 90 to 40 parts by weight of the copolymer to from 10 to 60 parts by weight of said styrene homopolymcr under shearing conditions at a temperature above about C. and below the degradation temperature of the blended polymers.

6. The method claimed in claim 5 wherein from 80 to 40 parts by weight of said copolymer is blended with from 20 to 60 parts by weight of said styrene homopolymer.

7. The method claimed in claim 5 wherein from 90 to 60 parts by weight of said copolymer is blended with from l0 to 40 parts by weight of said styrene homopolymer.

8. The method claimed in claim 7 wherein the said styrene homopolymer has a molecular weight of from $0,000 to 70.000, and is blended with said copolymer under shearing conditions at a temperature between about C. and C.

9. Method for producing readily processable thermoplastic compositions which comprises lluxing together ID to 60 parts by weight of styrene homopolymer having a molecular weight between 40,000 and l50,000 and 90 to 40 parts by weight of copolymer of styrene and ethylene which has a 10 l melt flow between i and 10 at C. and contains 20 to 60% copolymerized styrene, said co polymer being frsctionable into a first copolymer fraction insoluble in toluene and comprising 50 to 75% by weight of the copolymer; a second copolymer fraction insoluble in heptane and cyclohexano and soluble in chloroform and toluene; a third copolymer fraction insoluble in heptane and soluble in cyclohexane. chloroform and toluene; and a fourth copolymer fraction soluble in heptane, cyclohexane, chloroform and toluene.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED ST ATES PATENTS 2,563.63! Young et al. Aug. 7, 1951 2,994,691 Gates Aug. l, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 538,782 Belgium Dec. 6, 1955 

1. A READILY PROCESSABLE THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITION COMPRISING PER 100 PARTS BY WEIGHT FROM 10 TO 60 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF SYTRENE HOMOPOLYMER WITH BA MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF FROM 40,000 TO 150,000 BLENDED WITH FROM 90 TO 40 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF A FRACTIONABLE STYRENE-ETHYLENE COPOLYMER HAVING A 10 P MELT FLOW AT 190*C. OF FROM 1 TO 10 DECIGRAMS PER MINUTE AND CONTAINING AT LEAST 20% COPOLYMERIZED STYRENE, ONE FRACTION OF SAID COPOLYMER BEING INSOLUBLE IN TOLUENE AND COMPRISING FROM 50 TO 75% BY WEIGHT OF SAID COPOLYMER. 